Comments on: Thoughts from watching American Idol http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/ against.all.odds Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:39:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Sam. http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-89 Sam. Wed, 18 Jan 2006 22:19:38 +0000 http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-89 You haven't ever asked me about that...ask away! You haven’t ever asked me about that…ask away!

]]> By: kris http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-88 kris Wed, 18 Jan 2006 22:14:03 +0000 http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-88 have i ever asked you about 'thecelt.org'?? have i ever asked you about ‘thecelt.org’??

]]> By: kris http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-87 kris Wed, 18 Jan 2006 21:54:07 +0000 http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-87 i think that's a good observation. it may be an oversimplification, but i would add that people like to sing about the God of mercy - but they aren't singing anything about a God of justice. i sometimes wonder if this is out of hope, or fear -- like, if i sing about God/Jesus, I'll 'go to heaven.' As Adria said, there's no relationship/commitment involved. i think that’s a good observation. it may be an oversimplification, but i would add that people like to sing about the God of mercy - but they aren’t singing anything about a God of justice. i sometimes wonder if this is out of hope, or fear — like, if i sing about God/Jesus, I’ll ‘go to heaven.’ As Adria said, there’s no relationship/commitment involved.

]]> By: adria http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-83 adria Wed, 18 Jan 2006 03:10:56 +0000 http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-83 I think here in America there is a lack of weight associated with all the God-conciousness, as it were. It is a consciousness without the trembling, without the fear. The idea of God makes many Americans feel good, that's what they call "faith". The problem is that it does not weigh upon their character, their spiritual formation. Even a shallow study of the entertainment industry will give testimony to this. The message is that Jesus makes our brokeness acceptable, and we don't have to do anything about it. He's taken care of it all and we're just waiting to "go to heaven". There seems to be no personal investment, just a consciousness. Just one perspective from Nashville. I think here in America there is a lack of weight associated with all the God-conciousness, as it were. It is a consciousness without the trembling, without the fear. The idea of God makes many Americans feel good, that’s what they call “faith”. The problem is that it does not weigh upon their character, their spiritual formation. Even a shallow study of the entertainment industry will give testimony to this. The message is that Jesus makes our brokeness acceptable, and we don’t have to do anything about it. He’s taken care of it all and we’re just waiting to “go to heaven”. There seems to be no personal investment, just a consciousness. Just one perspective from Nashville.

]]> By: Sam. http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-82 Sam. Mon, 16 Jan 2006 17:10:39 +0000 http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-82 When I think about the majority of people around me who aren't Christ followers, it seems that the default position is "don't know, don't care" when it comes to thinking about God. I think apathy is big challenge for churches to tackle. There are some people pursuing spirituality in various forms, but I think amongst the majority it is definitely apathy. Challenging times and definitely something for us to be thinking about as we look to help the people of Sheffield discover the reality and joy of a relationship with God. When I think about the majority of people around me who aren’t Christ followers, it seems that the default position is “don’t know, don’t care” when it comes to thinking about God. I think apathy is big challenge for churches to tackle. There are some people pursuing spirituality in various forms, but I think amongst the majority it is definitely apathy. Challenging times and definitely something for us to be thinking about as we look to help the people of Sheffield discover the reality and joy of a relationship with God.

]]> By: Rachel http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-81 Rachel Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:55:20 +0000 http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-81 I think that people in the UK are definitely searching for something, they're just not finding it in the church. Songs that are overtly promoting God/Jesus etc are generally unlikely to be profitable. I heard someone on the radio saying that the UK is becoming a place where the default position is atheism. He liked that idea. People are into mixing and matching spiritual viewpoints. Thinking about the people I know, things like mediums and psychics are popular, aspects of Budhism and meditation classes. People must believe something musn't they?! I feel like people don't think about anything beyond their present. It changes the way the church needs to respond. we can't assume anything! I think that people in the UK are definitely searching for something, they’re just not finding it in the church. Songs that are overtly promoting God/Jesus etc are generally unlikely to be profitable. I heard someone on the radio saying that the UK is becoming a place where the default position is atheism. He liked that idea.

People are into mixing and matching spiritual viewpoints. Thinking about the people I know, things like mediums and psychics are popular, aspects of Budhism and meditation classes. People must believe something musn’t they?! I feel like people don’t think about anything beyond their present. It changes the way the church needs to respond. we can’t assume anything!

]]> By: Allen Arnn http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-71 Allen Arnn Sun, 15 Jan 2006 19:15:43 +0000 http://samradford.voxtropolis.com/2006/01/15/thoughts-from-watching-american-idol/#comment-71 Yeah, I think God-conciousness is greater in the US than it is in Europe but it is decreasing. Sometimes I'm surprised how much heaven, prayer, angels, even Jesus stuff is still in the mainstream here. I guess there is still enough of a Christian worldview (even just a cultural, folklore-ish one) that songs like American Idol Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel" are still profitable. If this were not the case the entertainment industry would stop producing them. Is the UK spiritually concious at all? Are people seeking spiritual help in witchcraft or other non-Christian world religions or is it becoming an almost atheist society? Yeah, I think God-conciousness is greater in the US than it is in Europe but it is decreasing. Sometimes I’m surprised how much heaven, prayer, angels, even Jesus stuff is still in the mainstream here. I guess there is still enough of a Christian worldview (even just a cultural, folklore-ish one) that songs like American Idol Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” are still profitable. If this were not the case the entertainment industry would stop producing them.

Is the UK spiritually concious at all? Are people seeking spiritual help in witchcraft or other non-Christian world religions or is it becoming an almost atheist society?

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